Eating Green Should Be Anything but Boring…

There are plenty of good reasons to choose a diet rich in nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables. Their vitamins and minerals do everything from strengthening bones and teeth (calcium) to helping to prevent muscle cramping and high blood pressure (magnesium) to helping maintain healthy blood pressure (potassium) to protecting the body against infection (vitamin A) and much more. The fiber in fruits and veggies helps digestion and also helps keep you full, which will help you avoid overeating and potential weight gain. Anthocyanins, micronutrients found in some berries, plums, red and purple grapes, and figs show promise protecting against some cancers and memory loss. And luteins (found in avocados, pears, and kiwifruit) have been shown to promote bone growth and may also protect against some cancers.

In the long run, greens (and every other colored plant) will help lower your risk of developing chronic health problems, like obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. And in the short run, dietitians agree that fruits and veggies are part of a healthy diet that will help you control your weight and keep your energy up.

Exactly how many plants should you be eating each day? An easy guideline from the USDA is to fill half your plate with fruits or vegetables at each meal. And once you check out these plant-loving Instagram accounts, that won’t be a problem. From curried cauliflower rice to grilled zucchini dinner wraps to mango coconut smoothies, these social media foodies take eating green way beyond the kale salad.

Woodward began recording her kitchen experiments on her blog, Deliciously Ella, after she was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome — a rare chronic disease that left her unable to control her heart rate or blood pressure. Struggling with chronic fatigue, Ella decided to take up a whole-foods, plant-based diet to help her illness. Her dedication to healthy eating paid off. Now she’s able to manage her symptoms without medication.

@sproutedkitchen

Photo Courtesy of Hugh Forte/sproutedkitchen.com

Have you misplaced your measuring cups? No problem! Food blogger Sara Forte encourages readers to improvise with the uncomplicated recipes she features on her Instagram account. “This is art, not science,” she says on her blog, Sprouted Kitchen.

She loves fresh ingredients and natural foods. That means you’ll find all sorts of plant-based inspiration in her posts, from this Mustardy Brussel Slaw to roasted zucchini, black bean, and goat cheese enchiladas. Plus, she focuses on seasonal recipes, so you can explore the best veggie-packed meal options from spring to winter.

@minimalistbaker

Photo Courtesy of minimalistbaker.com

How can you keep up with your busy schedule and make scrumptious healthy meals? Minimalist Baker has the answers. Exhibit A: these Collard Green Spring Rolls featured on Minimalist Baker’s Instagram. All the recipes require 10 ingredients or fewer, one bowl (or pot), or 30 minutes or fewer to prepare. Dana Shultz and her husband, John, founded the original blog in 2012, and their Instagram account is stocked with their latest quick and easy recipes from quinoa bowls to breakfast salads.

@loveandlemons

Photo Courtesy of LoveandLemons.com

The food blog Love and Lemons is the creation of Jeanine Donofrio and her husband, Jack. The pair from Austin, Texas, love bright seasonal food and recipes inspired by their travel experiences. Their Instagram account is packed with their new creations, ingredients, and whatever else is feeding their culinary cravings. Jeanine has a soft spot for avocado toast, kale salads, and finishing her dishes with a squeeze of lemon. You won’t want to miss her peach popsicles or these mix-and-match veggie quesadillas.

@mynewroots

Photo Courtesy of Sarah Britton/MyNewRoots.com

The holistic nutritionist Sarah Britton hates labels. “A lot of people want to know “what I am” — vegetarian, vegan, raw foodist, fruitarian, macrobiotic … Guess what? I am a person who eats!” says Britton, whose Instagram account features recipes from her blog, My New Roots, as well as other healthy-eating inspiration.

@thealmondeater

Photo Courtesy of TheAlmondEater.com

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies get a superfood boost from avocados, which fill them with the good-for-you fats. Food blogger Erin Alvarez features images of her own recipes (from her blog, The Almond Eater) on her Instagram account. She deems them “healthy-ish.” That means you’ll find a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as a few indulgences along the lines of these decadent dessert bars.

@pumpkinandpb

Photo Courtesy of PumpkinandPeanutButter.com

“This Asparagus and Artichoke Garlic Pasta is honestly the easiest dish to throw together and is full of fresh, light flavors,” Liz Martone says of this healthy veggie pasta in an Instagram post. Follow Martone’s social media feeds and you’ll be treated to a lot more nutritious, delicious-looking meal and snack ideas. Martone is an elementary school teacher in Durham, North Carolina, who loves cooking and eating nourishing food. She hasn’t cut meat or animal products out of her diet completely, but she tends to cook (and post) vegetarian and vegan dishes — “because that’s what my body enjoys the most!” she writes on her blog, Pumpkin & Peanut Butter.